The Electronic Transactions Association (ETA), the global trade association representing the payments technology world, has wrapped the largest show in the organization's 24-year history, according to a news release. Thousands of attendees and 210 exhibitors enjoyed 3 full days of educational opportunities, technical innovations and networking across the expanded 220,000 gross square feet of exhibit space.
"This is our first year re-branded as TRANSACT 14 and once again we've grown the show significantly, providing the full conference experience from networking to education and training. Our CEO keynote roundtables have proved extremely popular. I heard directly from payments and technology industry leaders that they did more new business here at TRANSACT than any other place all year. We're thrilled that TRANSACT 15 in San Francisco, Calif. will once again be about getting business done," said Jason Oxman, CEO of ETA, in a prepared statement.
The E-Pay Innovation award, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was awarded for the Payments Next Zone competitors displaying the most innovative product with the promise of providing financial services to underserved communities. The first prize winner, awarded $50,000, was Social Trade Organization for their product, 'Cyclos', an online banking solution that is easy to use and maintain, flexible, secure and highly customizable. The second prize, of $20,000, was awarded to Mowoza, a supply-chain solution for micro and small businesses in emerging markets which uses the mobile phone and wallet to simplify ordering and payment of inventory.
This year's program featured a newly expanded selection of educational opportunities including the Data Breach Summit, the Operation Chokepoint Boot Camp, eight conference tracks and specialist ETA training. More than 70 conference sessions made TRANSACT 14 the largest educational event in payments.
TRANSACT showcased keynotes from industry leaders including Visa's Bill Sheedy, VeriFone's Paul Galant and Google's Ariel Bardin, who each provided their unique insights into the future of payments. There were also two CEO roundtables featuring top executives from Heartland Payments, Bank of America Merchant Services, Wells Fargo, TSYS, Vantiv and Global Payments.
As the world's largest stage for payments innovation, TRANSACT 14 featured a 100 percent sold out expo show floor with expanded hours and increased floor space, allowing the 210 exhibitors to maximize their visibility.
Industry innovators, security specialists and top federal regulators gathered to discuss consumer protection against cybercrime and fraud, as well as top payments policy issues in Washington.
More than 100 ground-breaking payments technology innovations debuted on the expo floor at TRANSACT 14 – including products for mobile, ecommerce, retail and loyalty.
TRANSACT 15 will be held in San Francisco, Calif. from March 31, 2015 to April 2, 2015. Please contact Del Baker at [email protected] if you are interested in exhibiting or attending the show.
